The inmates who are believed to have started the fire have been apprehended and will be transferred to other prisons, said prison authority INPEC.

The tragedy brings to light the acute problem of over-crowding which stood at 147% for the Barranquilla prison. The last recorded numbers were on January 15 when a venue with a capacity of 454 inmates was housing 1,123.

The fire itself occurred in Hall B of the facility where an estimated 716 inmates were housed in a space meant for 196 and was caused when a clash occurred between rival gangs who set fire to their sheets.

The human rights sector of the Prosecutor General’s Office has requested an investigation into the blaze.